Jay Taft: Bears throw DC Mel Tucker one more chance, instead of under the bus

Monday

Jan 13, 2014 at 4:32 PM

The Chicago Bears announced over the weekend that they fired their linebacker and defensive line coaches, but the rest – including defensive coordinator Mel Tucker – will be back for another try.

Jay Taft Staff writer @jaytaft

Sorry, defensive line coach Mike Phair and linebackers coach Tim Tibesar. While you probably don't deserve to get your job back – the Bears did have the worst defense in franchise history this past season – you were the ones tossed under the bus on Saturday.

Not defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.

While Tucker has been on the hot seat for a couple of months, ever since the defense really started to slide around the midway point of the season, the Bears finally decided to give him another chance, announcing his return over the weekend.

While it's a tough call, I agree with Bears GM Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman: Tucker did not have enough to work with to prove whether he belongs or not. One more season ought to do it.

Regardless of the reasons (or excuses), if this defense does not improve immensely next season, Tucker should be on the job hunt. But not yet.

Lost to injuries from the front seven was Lance Briggs, Henry Melton, Nate Collins and D.J. Williams, and that was after the face of the defense for the past dozen years, Brian Urlacher, was not brought back in the offseason.

Rookies Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene were forced into duty way too soon, and while they both showed promise (Bostic more than Greene, however, and both at different positions than they were playing as well), they need more time.

So now they will get a little more time to work with Tucker.

"Our team evaluation remains ongoing. We believe Mel is the right person to lead our defensive unit," Trestman said. "He fully understands where we need to improve, has the skill set and leadership to oversee the changes that need to be made and to execute our plan to get the results we know are necessary."